


Ice Cream in Italy

by tiffersthenerdy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Boys Kissing, Celebrity Sugawara Koushi, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Fluff, Haikyuu Rarepair Week 2020, Humor, Ice Cream Parlor Owner Nishinoya Yuu, Ice Cream Parlors, M/M, Montebelluna Italy, Non-Explicit Sex, POV Sugawara Koushi, Pining, Strangers to Lovers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24177244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiffersthenerdy/pseuds/tiffersthenerdy
Summary: Celebrity Suga just needs to get away from the paparazzi for a while so Daichi books him a vacation to Montebelluna, Italy. Upon his arrival, Suga meets an energetic ice cream shop owner named Noya who is genuinely helpful with no other motive than just being friendly. Suga doesn't expect to fall for Noya in the two months that he's in Italy, but he does and he's dreading having to go back to his other life which means leaving Noya behind.
Relationships: Nishinoya Yuu/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 12
Kudos: 38





	Ice Cream in Italy

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be for Haikyuu rarepair week but I've been super busy so have this fic which I really put a lot of heart into.

Sugawara Koushi, a man of many talents, is lacking one and that’s getting away from the paparazzi long enough to take a deep breath. He is well known for his acting, singing, and dancing so naturally a majority of people recognize him wherever he goes. It’s frustrating to say the least and all he wants is a quiet vacation away from crazed fans, camera flashes, and busy cities.

“Why not try Italy?” Daichi asks him after he finishes lamenting his problems. Daichi is his best friend and manager so Koushi always goes to him for advice.

“Italy? Why?”

“There are plenty of small towns in the countryside there that are beautiful and practically remote and not as many people will know who you are,” Daichi reasons. “I’ll even help you find a place to stay. Get out of here for a couple of months before you pick up another project. I mean, come on Kou, you have grey hairs showing.”

As much as he wants to keep giving his best friend an unamused look, it’s difficult to keep up when he finds the joke to be a good one. “Okay then, find me a place and I’ll go. Otherwise, you’re stuck with finding me a new job.”

*******

The flight to Italy was comfortable and the drive from the airport to the “nature house” as Daichi called it isn’t terrible either. The bus stop is about a mile away from where he’ll be staying for two months. Koushi doesn’t mind the walk in the slightest either, the sun is warm and the air smells of blooming plants and opportunity.

“Montebelluna,” Koushi whispers to himself as he takes in his surroundings. "It's as beautiful as its name."

"It sure is," a voice says from behind him. Koushi jumps and swivels around to find the owner of the voice. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

The man in question is shorter than Koushi by several inches, lean, and with spiked up brown hair except a small blonde streak that is slightly drooping at the front. He almost reminds Koushi of an excitable hamster.

"It's not a problem," Koushi tells him with a soft smile. "Are you from around here?"

"Sure am," the other man tells him proudly, "I'm Nishinoya Yuu, but people call me Noya. I own the ice cream shop nearby."

"Pleasure to meet you, Noya. I'm," Koushi pauses, not sure if he wants to reveal who he is since he's supposed to be relaxing, "Koushi, but people call me Suga."

"What brings you to Montebelluna, or at least the outskirts of Montebelluna? Most tourists prefer to stay in the city."

"Vacation that is away from cities and" he pauses again, "stresses of everyday life." To change the subject, Koushi asks, "do you know where this place is by chance?" He holds out the paper with the address of the place where he'll be staying. "My phone service is bad at best right now so I can't get directions very well."

Noya lets out a low whistle as he looks over the paper. "I can show you the way since I'm going by it anyways. That's a really nice place to stay."

"From that whistle I'm assuming it's a pretty penny too."

"How do you not know how much you spent on a place to rent while on vacation?" Noya asks with raised eyebrows.

"My best friend Daichi booked me the entire vacation. I honestly don't want to look at my bank statements to see how much it's costing me to be here," Koushi admits with a sigh.

"That's one hell of a friendship. How long will you be in Montebelluna?"

"Two months." Glancing down at Noya he can see his mouth is slightly agape and his eyes are wide.

"Two months?! You're staying in that house," Noya points to his left at a decently large house, "by yourself for two months?"

"Is that weird?"

"A little bit, yeah."

Koushi shakes his head. "What did you do, Daichi?"

"You should definitely ask him."

"Oh yeah, you are from around here so do you think you could point me in the direction of a market? I'll need food while I'm here," Koushi says awkwardly.

"About a mile down the road and to the right is a farmer's market. That's where I get the ingredients for my ice cream. Everyone there is really helpful and friendly; you just have to stop in! My shop is over there too so be sure to visit and I'll give you an ice cream on the house." Noya is talking a mile a minute and Koushi finds it to be cute much like the man himself. "They're open from sun up to sun down."

"And you're not?"

"Not today, it's Sunday so most things are closed or close early." At this news, Koushi groans and stops at the end of the driveway that leads to his temporary home. "What's the matter?"

"I don't have anything to eat or drink so if everything is closed today I'll have to wait until tomorrow. I've been through worse though so I'll be okay," he tells Noya as he shrugs.

After looking thoughtful for a moment, Noya says, "why don't you come over to my place for dinner? It's practically behind the shop."

"I couldn't intrude."

"It's not an intrusion if I invite you."

"Fair point. I'll drop my stuff off and then we can go."

Noya looks ecstatic and he continues to look that way as they walk to his home. It is behind his shop as he said, just up a flight of stone steps. Koushi has never seen a house like Noya's before. Despite it being small, it has two staircases on the outside and five doors.

"Noya, what is, uh, how do you," Koushi trails off as he continues to stare.

Hearing the other man laugh makes goosebumps raise on Koushi's arms at how beautiful it sounds. "It's ancient, I know, but owning the shop makes me keep a tight budget and the rent is cheap so I don't mind. I'm rather fond of it really. Each door takes you to a different room."

"Let me get this right, you're telling me that if you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night then you have to walk outside and go in another door to get to the bathroom?"

"Yep!"

"That's a little weird, but hey, not my country, not my customs."

"I'll get the food. I like to grill everything I can so I'm not stuck in the kitchen," Noya tells him as he walks up one of the flights of stairs and then gestures for Koushi to follow. "Have a seat at the table."

After watching Noya disappear through a door, Koushi walks the rest of the way up to the small table big enough for two people and sits down. The view from his seat is incredible; a small hill leads to a patch of trees behind Noya's humble abode and then further out he can see rolling hills and farms and the sun as it begins its descent to the distant horizon. "Incredible," he whispers as he takes it all in.

"I know, right?" Noya's voice makes Koushi jump a little since he didn't hear him approach. "Are you always afraid?"

"Just surprised," Koushi answers, turning back to his host who is fiddling with the grill. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Nah, just your company is helpful enough." He doesn't sound sad, but Koushi gets the feeling he's lonely a lot.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose to come to Italy and make ice cream?"

"Who said I came to Italy?" At Koushi's disbelieving gaze Noya shrugs. "I traveled a lot after high school. America, Brazil, Ireland, Thailand, and then Italy. I really love it here even though I miss home a lot."

"Where is home?"

"Japan, Miyagi Prefecture."

"What?!" This time Noya jumps at Koushi's sudden outburst. "Sorry, it's just a small world suddenly because that's where I'm from."

"Are you serious? I lived close to Karasuno high school."

"So did I, but I only attended Karasuno for a year before I started traveling abroad and doing homeschooling." To think that he had been close to Noya at some point in his life before now is a hard concept to grasp.

"What is your profession?"

There it is, the question Koushi hoped to avoid. "I'm an entertainer of sorts."

That makes Noya chuckle. "That could mean anything from being a puppeteer to a stripper to a musician or an actor."

"Puppets are creepy and do I look like a stripper to you?" At that, Noya turns and looks him over before simply shrugging and turning back to the grill. It makes Koushi scoff playfully.

"It's obvious you're either a high class stripper or you are a professional something or other because that house you have for two months isn't cheap."

"You got me, I'm a high class stripper."

"Lucky me," Noya murmurs as he sits the food carefully over the flames.

"Honestly, I'm on vacation to get away from all of that so I'd like to keep my celebrity status quiet," he admits.

Noya nods and finishes up dinner, sitting grilled steak and vegetables in front of Koushi before bringing out drinks. One bite of the steak and vegetables and Koushi is in love, he doesn't even bother stifling the noise of enjoyment that vibrates in his throat as he closes his eyes to savor the juicy, flavorful food. When he finally opens his eyes he sees Noya staring at him with flushed cheeks.

"This is delightful," Koushi compliments him after he swallows his food.

"Thank you," Noya replies, ducking his head and busying himself with his own food.

They eat in relative silence, sometimes asking small questions or commenting on their surroundings. Noya clears the table and silences Koushi's protests of wanting to help. Darkness has all but settled upon them with the exception of Noya's many strands of lights that string from door to door and down the stone steps.

"Wow," Koushi breathes as he glances up at the sky where thousands of stars shine brightly back.

"Welcome to Montebelluna," Noya tells him quietly as he stands beside him.

Looking down at Noya, Koushi replies, "I've never seen so many beautiful things in one place."

******

Sunlight shines brightly through the bedroom window of the nature house and makes Koushi squint as he sits up. Last night almost seems like a dream and he really hopes it wasn't because he hasn't felt that happy in a long time. It couldn't be though because he remembers Noya telling him about the market and to stop by his shop.

Getting out of bed is a little weird considering it's suspended from the ceiling, but Koushi kind of likes it. The shower is small, but no smaller than the ones in Japan, and thanks to WiFi he's able to check the weather to find another sunny day. Making sure he's got his necessities, Koushi leaves for the market.

His new friend wasn't lying when he said everyone is friendly and helpful. At this stall he purchases reusable grocery bags, he's going to need them, and at the one next to it is all the fresh veggies he could ever hope to see. By the time he's done with the fruits and oils, Koushi is thinking he's going to need to make two trips today. After stopping to pick up a couple different bottles of wine and juice, he does make it into two trips, going home to put away all of his goods and then going back.

"Excuse me," Koushi asks the lady at the stall that sells a variety of handmade goods.

"How can I help?" She asks with a friendly smile.

"What would I buy a friend as a way of saying thank you for all your help?"

"A man or woman?"

"Man, the one that owns the ice cream shop over there," Koushi tells her as he points to Noya's shop.

"Oh! You are friends with Yuu? He is a sweet man. Hmmm, well, I won't lie when I say it's a little pricey, but he's been eyeing this since he came here a couple of years ago. I'm not sure why, but he checks it out every day." She stares at the blanket with sad eyes.

"I'll buy it and if you can help me wrap it then I'll pay extra." She seems very surprised but nods and Koushi pays as promised, excitedly holding the package to his chest.

The last stop before Noya's shop is a butcher's shop. Koushi takes his time choosing different meats and when he gets to steak he realizes it's rather a pricey commodity too. Noya must've gone all out for dinner last night.

"I'll take four of those steaks please."

Noya's ice cream shop is actually a hopping little place with a steady stream of patrons going in and out. Most of them are tourists who are waiting on the next bus and are just trying to kill some of the summer heat.

Once the next bus arrives there is a lag in business so Koushi takes that time to go in. "Hey, Noya."

"Suga! I'm glad to see you made it home alive last night." Excitement radiates off of him in waves and it's a little contagious to Koushi.

"It was a nice walk, not nearly as hot as the days here," Koushi tells him as he laughs lightly.

"Well I did promise you an ice cream so take your pick."

"What do you suggest?"

"Oh you probably wouldn't like my favorite very well," Noya answers shyly. "I like spicy sweet stuff so I make this cinnamon chocolate ice cream and it's kind of popular but it really is spicy."

"That sounds good to me."

Noya scoops him up a cone and hands it over. "It's almost time for noon rest so if you aren't in a hurry, why not have a seat and I'll chat with you as soon as I get the rest of the line cleared out."

Koushi does just that, watching Noya work for a few minutes before zoning out completely, lost in thought.

"What are you thinking about?"

Noya's voice is distant and Koushi's brain isn't back online yet so he voices it aloud. "I'm wondering how people have sex on the bed in the rental house."

A sputtering noise draws Koushi out of his reverie and he glances over to see a red faced Noya. "Do I even want to know why you're contemplating that?"

"It's a hanging bed, no base, no stability. So, how does it work when having sex on it?"

"Gives new meaning to a wild ride I guess."

Koushi snorts a little as he laughs and sobers up, looking embarrassed, but it only makes Noya laugh harder and Koushi enjoys it probably more than he should. Would it be a wild ride? What would it be like to have Noya- nope, dangerous territory.

"I like it when you laugh," Koushi blurts out and then quickly takes a lick of ice cream to busy himself. Heat rapidly spreads across his tongue and the sweet chocolate clashes with it covered by the chill of the treat that won't extinguish the fire. "Oh my gosh this is amazing!"

"I'm glad you like it," Noya tells him with a barely concealed smile.

"And you make all of your ice cream right here in the shop?"

"Mmhmm, I can show you sometime if you'd like."

"I would enjoy that very much. Also, what is noon rest?"

"All businesses close from noon to 1pm to rest, reset, and prepare for the second part of the day," Noya explains, "I usually restock ice cream and supplies, but it takes me all of ten minutes so what's guy to do with the other 50 minutes, ya know?"

"Good question, what do you usually do with the other 50 minutes?" Koushi asks with a smirk.

"I rest," Noya answers slowly.

"Good idea."

With their conversation over as Noya’s break comes to an end, Koushi hands over the gifts and wishes him a good day then departs the shop. Giving presents to people has always been awkward to him so if he can disappear before they’re opened he does.

Back at the rental, Koushi puts away the rest of his treats, makes a quick lunch of chicken and noodles, and then picks up a book he had bought at one of the stalls. Italian is one of the few languages he knows a good amount of so it's only occasionally that he needs to stop and use a translation app. At the end of chapter two there is a knock on his door.

Upon opening the front door he finds a distraught looking Noya with the blanket in his hands. “Good evening,” Koushi greets cautiously.

“Why?” It’s the only thing Noya asks as he holds the blanket up in gesture.

“I thought you might like it? Do you not like it? I’m not the best at picking gifts for people.” When Noya only gestures with the blanket again, Koushi deflates. “You’re a great guy and I can’t begin to tell you the last time someone did something for me without an ulterior motive, but you did without hesitation. Your act of kindness means more to me than you could even begin to imagine and that gift is truly the least I could do as a thank you.”

Noya glances between blanket and Koushi a few times before hugging the blanket to himself with a soft smile. “Thank you, Suga. It reminds me of home.” Koushi understands what he means as he sees a hint of the temple on the fabric.

“Can I invite you in for dinner? Maybe some of this fancy wine I know nothing about? Perhaps you can check out the hanging bed and answer my question for me,” Koushi comments with a laugh which makes Noya chuckle too.

“I would enjoy that.”

*******

Over the next week, Koushi finds himself at Noya’s shop every day where he buys a new flavor of ice cream each time before wandering around the market and exploring the few streets of the small village just on the edge of the city of Montebelluna. After a call and scolding from Daichi though, he decides to go out and explore the city itself.

The museum of natural history and archeology is by far his favorite place to visit. There are plenty of little cafes and restaurants for him to try and enjoy. The stores offer a variety of things and he spends an entire day just shopping for odds, ends, trinkets, and gifts for friends. Of course, like any good tourist, Koushi goes to a wine tasting and visits the citadel. At the end of every day when he returns to the outskirts he stops in to see Noya and tells him about his adventure and how he has so many pictures to share with his friends and family when he goes home.

Every morning begins with a warm greeting from the sun that shines through the horizon windows. Breakfast is mostly fruit and grains before he is out the door for the day. Each night before bed, Koushi sits in one of the lounge chairs on the back patio and reads a chapter of the book he bought before showering and easing onto the queen sized swing in the bedroom.

The following week sees Koushi hiking through woods, sitting with his feet in cool streams as he listens to the nature around him, learning to ride a horse, petting an alpaca for the first time (much to child-like excitement), and as always he makes a stop at Noya’s shop. Both men make it a point to have dinner together at least twice a week, once at Noya’s home and once at Koushi’s rental. One evening has the two of them in the back of the ice cream shop though.

“Whoa! That is a lot of sugar,” Koushi remarks as he stares at the steady stream of sugar being added to the large metal container.

“It’s ice cream,” Noya tells him as if it’s the most obvious thing in the universe.

Watching Noya make new batches of the frosty treat is intriguing and educational; Koushi loves it. “No wonder you’re so solid, Noya,” he comments as the ice cream is mixed by hand. Hearing Noya giggle makes Koushi’s smile even bigger.

“I’ll admit that it can be tiring after a while but it’s gotten easier over the last couple of years. Practice makes perfect.” Not long after the mixing started, the watery contents of the container begin to take form. Noya demonstrates how he puts the batch of ice cream into three large cardboard containers and stores them in one of three large freezers. “Do you wanna try it?”

With great care, Koushi rolls up his sleeves and measures everything exactly as his host tells him to and he hates to admit that he struggles to stir the ice cream much to Noya’s entertainment. “You make this look so easy,” Koushi grumbles as Noya helps him mix the ingredients together and the chime of laughter that follows makes butterflies and warmth bloom in his stomach. Looking up from the formed mixture, he sees Noya gazing at him with a small smile and there is a weird pull in Koushi’s core that wants him to close the distance between them, but he fights it.

*******

“Asahi, I’m telling you that it’s not a big deal.” Koushi knew better than to mention his new friend to Asahi, but he did it anyway. “The guy is just super friendly.”

“There is a large amount of fondness in your voice, Suga. You can’t fool me.” Asahi has a habit of calling him out on his bullshit and Suga honestly appreciates it.

“So, there may be a small crush,” he murmurs as he turns at the sound of footsteps. The sight of Noya walking up the small driveway towards him has Koushi smiling widely. “Speaking of Noya, he’s here for some rest and relaxation time with me so I’ll talk to you later.”

“Suga, just be careful.”

“Always.”

*******

Time flies when Koushi is having fun apparently because all too soon he’s been in Montebelluna for nearly seven weeks. He’s almost finished with his novel which means his time in Italy is almost finished too. Just the idea of going back to his other life and leaving Noya behind makes his chest ache with longing.

“That first night when I had dinner with you, I asked why settle down in Italy and sell ice cream,” Koushi says as they eat at the table on the patio one night.

“Yes, you did,” Noya agrees as he chews his steak.

“And you didn’t give me an answer.”

Several nods later Noya replies, “I ran out of money so I went in search of another temporary job. I’d done it plenty of times as I was traveling. The old lady who I rent my house from, her husband owned the ice cream shop and he hired me and then died shortly afterwards. She was so broken over it and was going to just shut the shop down, but then I asked if I could buy the shop and pay her for both the business and the house over time. It surprised me when she said yes and proceeded to give me her husband’s recipes which I then tweaked and added to. That’s why I settled in Montebelluna.”

Dinner is quiet after that and even when Koushi clears the table. Music is still softly floating from the speaker on the patio so he goes out and offers Noya his hand who takes it despite the look of confusion on his face. Pulling the other man into his arms, Koushi begins to sway along to the music and Noya follows along.

“It seems you are a dancer just not the stripping kind,” Noya murmurs to him. Silently laughter shakes through Koushi’s shoulders.

“I do more than that,” Koushi whispers to him. After taking a calming breath because when did his heart speed up so fast? “The world's just spinning, a little too fast. If things don't slow down soon, we might not last. So just for the moment, let's be still.” The lyrics fall from his tongue sweetly as he stares down at the man that’s become so precious to him in such a short amount of time.

“Are there anymore surprises from you, Suga?” Noya asks so softly as he gazes right back at Koushi.

“Mmhmm.” Gently, he cups Noya’s face and leans in, brushing their lips together in a tender kiss.

“I don’t want you to leave.” Tears well up in Noya’s eyes as he says the exact words that have been weighing heavy on Koushi’s heart.

“I’m coming back. I have to because I’ll be leaving my heart here. You’ll hold onto it, won’t you, Noya? I need you to keep it safe.” The last few words crack as Koushi says them.

Somewhere between hugs, tears, and kisses both of them end up on the swinging bed with no clothes on and no space between their bodies. They cling tightly to one another as they explore with hands and mouths, sharing whispers of breath between kisses and sweet moans. As they become as close as humanly possible, Koushi knows there is no way he can’t not come back. It’s here in Montebelluna, Italy that he has tasted heaven in the form of human connection and he refuses to let it slip from his grasp.

*******

“I swear to you, I’ll be back,” Koushi whispers against Noya’s lips just before he turns to board the bus that is going to take him to the airport. Everything about leaving breaks him down and the flight home is even worse than it would normally be.

******

“You look really sad,” Daichi comments a few weeks later as they eat lunch. “It’s going to be fine. Why didn’t the two of you exchange phone numbers again?”

“We did,” Koushi replies as he picks at his vegetables. “Service there is kind of rough so he answers when he can.”

“I got you an audition for next Thursday. Will you be up for it?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

*****

“Sugawara, you recently came back from vacation and just landed a big supporting role in a movie that has expectations very high. Do you think you’ll need another vacation after filming?”

“Yes, I’ll be returning to Montebelluna once filming is over. If any of you ever happen to go to Montebelluna, be sure to stop in at Noya’s Ice Cream. It’s the best you’ll have ever tasted. Make sure to tell him that Suga will be back soon.”

******

“Sugawara Koushi, famous actor, former J-pop singer, and dancer.”

That sentence makes Koushi freeze up before he slowly turns around. “Is that who I am to you?”

“No way! You’re Suga, the high class stripper who is terrible at mixing ice cream but has a kiss that is sweeter than any sugar I’ve ever tasted,” Noya answers with amusement. “How long are you here for this time?”

“For as long as you want me to stay.” He punctuates each word with a peck on Noya’s lips. “I had a house built here.”

“Must be nice,” Noya tells him with a pout.

“It really is,” Suga says as he gazes off to the side. “I bought a beautiful piece of land from an old lady whose husband used to own a little ice cream shop around here. Then I took inspiration from a small, ancient house I once visited and mixed it with some contemporary elements and had a gorgeous home built on said piece of land. However, every room is accessible by an interior door as well as exterior because I’m not about to step on some random bug in the middle of the night when I go to the bathroom.”

Noya stares at him with disbelief written all over his face. “Are you for real?!”

“Mmhmm.” Koushi hums as he wraps an arm around Noya’s shoulders and begins walking in the direction of the new house which isn’t far from Noya’s Ice Cream. “I did it all in hopes that the cute guy who owns the ice cream shop would still have my heart when I returned and perhaps he’ll agree to live with me at some point and be the love of my life for, oh I don’t know, forever.”

“Will you be traveling for work?”

“Sometimes.”

“I guess I can move in so I can watch the house while you’re gone.”

“Is that it?”

“No, I’ll still have to hold your heart and keep it safe too. Ya know, for the rest of our lives.”

Koushi slips his hand into Noya’s as they walk from the bus stop to the small town they both call home now, but it's only because they’re together that it’s truly home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my Discord Server who helped me make a few decisions for this one.


End file.
